You’ve got a knack for aesthetics. You love problem-solving. And you have a passion for web design trends. Have you considered a career as a designer?
Perhaps you should. Web design one of the jobs AI won’t replace, and there are lots of opportunities for those with the right web design skills.
Here at Wix Studio, we’re big believers in helping our talented community embrace their potential. That’s why we’ve built this comprehensive list to guide you through your creative career journey.
12 types of digital designers and what they do
01. Web designer
A career as a web designer balances creativity and aesthetics with ever-evolving technical skills. From start to finish, this type of digital design involves brainstorming, mapping out and creating websites that align with your client’s brand identity and goals. To design effectively, these stages include producing design briefs, prototypes, wireframes and slideshow presentations to share research, ideas and results.
Leveraging their creativity, an understanding of design principles and mastery of web design tools, a web designer focuses on the visual needs of a web design project. Their key priorities include aesthetic appeal, user experience, mobile design and accessibility. They’ll often work alongside specialized designers, developers and clients to optimize the iterative design process.
Skills you’ll need:
Research and presentation skills in order to outline a strategic vision and gain proper feedback throughout the iterative web design process.
Staying in-the-know of current web design trends will help you keep up with what’s effective and relevant today.
Collaborative skills so you can work with clients, co-designers and other stakeholders efficiently and effectively.
Search engine optimization (SEO) and web accessibility knowledge so you can reach and serve a wide audience.
Tools commonly used: Wix Studio's design tools, content management systems, Figma and Adobe XD
Sign up for Wix Studio and start creating today.
02. UX designer
UX (user experience) designers possess a knack for data-driven design and a passion for finding the best possible interactions between a user and a digital product. Compared to a web designer, who hones in on aesthetic arrangements, a UX designer focuses on user behavior to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience across digital platforms. This requires a unique approach to visual design that involves analytical skills.
Within the UX design process, there’s an emphasis on research and testing phases to discover the best ways to optimize a design. For example, UX designers develop detailed user personas, flow maps and information architecture to gain a strong understanding of the target audience and how the product will serve them.
Using insights, a UX designer develops high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes, arranging visual elements, interactive elements and information content in a way that’s intuitive. From start to finish, this work revolves around creating intuitive design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency, collaborating with developers, web designers and UI designers.
Skills you’ll need:
A knowledge of various research methods (like conducting interviews and surveys) helps UX designers gather deep insights about user behavior and needs.
Collaboration is necessary for a UX designer since they work alongside UI designers, developers and stakeholders to optimize the product.
Data-driven design is a great mindset for a UX designer to have. UX designers should be comfortable using analytical tools and performing A/B testing to make informed design decisions.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD, low-code, no-code website software and CMS tools
03. UI (user interface) designer
Today, the role of a UI (user interface) designer has its own distinct specialization that’s valuable as a career in its own right. UI designers hone in on the interfaces of digital products, ensuring they’re visually engaging, interactive and cohesive. Working alongside other designers and stakeholders, they interpret a client's brand identity and UX strategies, transforming them into effective UI design systems.
Throughout the design process, UI designers are responsible for creating user-friendly interfaces. They’ll focus on detailed aesthetic and functional goals, developing elements like micro-interactions, calls-to-actions, buttons and animations.
Whether designing the interface of a website, software, or app, UI designers champion consistency. They have a deep understanding of the intricate details of user experience, ensuring that digital products provide a seamless and engaging experience for users.
Skills you’ll need:
An understanding of mobile-first tactics and how they apply to website navigation.
Strong communication skills to work alongside UX designers, developers and other stakeholders.
A foundational understanding of interaction design
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD and Mockflow
04. Graphic designer
Especially skilled in visual communication, graphic designers are called on to create captivating and effective content for their clients. Businesses often rely on them not just for individual content creation, but also for developing a complete set of brand guidelines to establish the visual language they’ll use to communicate with audiences. Blending artistic talent, technical design skills and creativity, it’s a graphic designer's job to bring that visual language to life.
The work a graphic designer produces can run the gamut from digital design to print. Common deliverables include logo design, packaging, social media graphics and online banners. Graphic designers may also work closely with web, UX or UI designers to develop assets for digital interfaces like websites.
Under the guidance of clients, marketing teams or art directors, a graphic designer takes the time to understand the goals of each project. But at the end of the day, their most important task is to successfully convey a brand’s message.
Skills you’ll need:
You should know the principles of design like the back of your hand. Graphic designers should have a strong understanding of theories like composition, color theory, typography and other foundations—and know how to apply them.
An awareness of design trends will set you apart, whether it’s font trends, web design trends or emerging technologies.
A sense of branding is a must, since your work will involve designing and applying unique visual languages to help brands stand out.
You should have an ability to adapt to different skill sets, technologies and tools. For example, knowing the basics of motion design may give your practice more versatility. Diving into popular AI and VR tools will keep you up-to-date as they continue to reshape the industry.
Tools commonly used: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
05. Motion designer
Motion design is all about creating immersive experiences in the digital realm. Blending artistic and technical skills, motion designers use animation, typography and sound to tell a brand’s story in an engaging way. Producing interactive and dynamic visual content, this is a dynamic type of design career that combines creativity, technological skills and expertise.
Motion designers develop animations, motion graphics and video, ensuring these compelling assets align with their client’s style. Whether their creations are made for website content, social media, educational videos, motion graphics or entire advertising campaigns—motion designers ensure the work is impactful by enhancing brand identity and user experiences.
Motion design has evolved into a sought-after skill in the digital design world. Many web designers and graphic designers today can benefit from learning the foundations of motion design, but focusing on this as a specialty offers exciting career opportunities for those who master it.
Skills you’ll need:
Sharp motion design skills and adaptability since digital tools are evolving rapidly.
Storytelling capabilities, including conceptualizing and creating storyboards, to bring your vision to life.
Creative problem-solving and collaboration skills will help when working with directors, product teams or developers. You’ll need the ability to find unique and effective strategies together to communicate through animation.
Tools commonly used: Software like Cinema 4D, Adobe After Effects and real-time motion graphics tools
06. Game designer
With an innovative perspective, this type of designer combines gaming mechanics and technical expertise to dream up interactive experiences with a purpose. The digital playground of a gaming designer can range from inventing original games for the web, consoles or mobile devices, to creating gamified website designs or interactive and playful marketing assets.
Game designers foster a strong connection with the user, whether the goal is to entertain or educate.
As consumers seem to soak up the website gamification trend, many brands want to establish themselves by creating more memorable experiences for users. We see this happening through gaming elements like rewards, interactions and levels within website and app designs, for example.
Skills you’ll need:
A deep understanding of gaming mechanics and how to apply them.
Collaborative skills when working with artists, programmers and sound designers.
A knowledge of gaming trends and savvy design strategies to attract new clients and leverage your skills.
Tools commonly used: Game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine, 3D tools like Blender and Adobe Suite
07. Front-end developer
Front-end developers are designers of code, bringing digital mockups to life. They typically work alongside UX, UI or web designers to bridge the gap between conception and functionality. This kind of designer is responsible for drafting code to enable the functional aspects of a product that interact with the user (see: an app layout, website design or interactive elements). They’ll work with design prototypes to ensure products perform as they’re supposed to.
Skills you’ll need:
A deep knowledge of coding is essential for a front-end developer. You should have proficiency in coding languages such as HTML, CSS and Javascript.
A collaborative mindset will help you interact with back-end developers and other team members.
A focus on performance and accessibility so you can build fast, reliable and accessible products.
Tools commonly used: Low-code, no-code builders like Wix Studio. Frameworks and version control systems like GitHub and react.
08. Interaction designer
Within the realm of UX and web design, interaction design stands out as a specialized discipline that focuses on user interactions. The primary goal of an interaction designer is to foster more human-like connections with users, crafting creative ways to engage them and provide feedback as they use a website, mobile app or other digital project. In web design, for example, this involves meticulous attention to elements such as motion, transitions and microinteractions to ensure the design has an engaging and enjoyable experience.
Interaction design plays a crucial role in enhancing the user experience. Designers in this field collaborate closely with UX and UI designers, who handle the visual aspects and layout of the product. However, interaction designers place special emphasis on making a positive impact on user behavior—particularly, optimizing how users engage with visual elements and how the design itself responds.
Skills you’ll need:
Prototyping and user testing skills are integral parts of the interaction design process.
Interaction designers must be able to conduct user research and analyze feedback to make informed design decisions.
Attention to detail to ensure accuracy and consistency when it comes to the user experience.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD and Framer
09. Product designer
Product designers in the digital world play a multifaceted role in the creation of a product from start to finish. They act as the architect of the product, taking the lead of both design and business aspects of the process.
The primary goal of a product designer is to make sure a product is successful in every aspect: in visual design, functionality, user experience and business. This type of designer is a problem solver with a deep understanding of customer needs, market demands and design systems. Product designers use their technical skills alongside strategy, insights and research to maintain an overview of the product’s entire package.
Digital product designers also play a role in creating new product ideas, and are often tasked with identifying opportunities in niche markets. Unlike physical product designers, digital product designers create products that users can purchase, download or use on a mobile application or website.
Skills you’ll need:
Visual design skills, like having a keen eye for aesthetics and attention to detail, are a necessary part of product design.
The best product designers have an in-depth understanding of their consumers.
An understanding of UX and UI processes.
Knowing how to conduct user testing throughout the process to improve product quality, assurance and usability.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD, Miro, Hotjar and Blender
10. Information designer
In this knowledge-heavy, content-heavy age, information designers are essential in bridging the gap between data and understanding. Their role is focused on making complex information accessible for wide audiences, transforming data-heavy resources into engaging visual presentations.
Information designers are often tasked with crafting assets—like infographics and dashboards—that present in-depth research in formats that are easily digestible to users.
This type of designer strives for a delicate balance between aesthetics and clarity, ensuring that users can understand the content quickly and effectively. Drawing upon techniques from graphic design and UX design to simplify content, the aim of an information designer is to use their visual creations to improve readability and user experience.
Skills you’ll need:
Strong analytical skills since an information designer is tasked with distilling complex information. They must be able to clearly understand data and break it down for presentation, which involves identifying key insights and the most effective ways to present them.
An aesthetic sense and design skills.
Good storytelling abilities to effectively tell information and guide users through a visual narrative. Knowing how to structure information in a compelling way is what makes information design so impactful and memorable.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, Tableau and Miro
11. Mobile app designer
In today’s mobile-first world, mobile app designers are in demand. Mobile app design involves creating digital experiences for mobile devices, optimizing the design for smaller screens on devices like smartphones and tablets.
Using a mobile-first approach, this type of designer accounts for elements that are unique to the user experience on mobile devices. Compared to website design, they’ll consider device-specific aspects like navigation, touch interactions, swipe interaction, buttons and mobile gestures. Today’s mobile app designers will adhere to platform specific guidelines to build a responsive layout that works seamlessly on all sorts of screen sizes, orientations and devices.
Mobile app design often overlaps with web design, and many mobile app specialists also possess web design skills. For instance, a mobile app designer might be tasked with transforming a client's desktop website into a mobile version.
Skills you’ll need:
Knowledge of UX design principles is important because user-friendliness is one of the main qualities of mobile app design. You should be able to conduct research and produce information architecture, prototypes and wireframes in order to showcase mobile user flows.
Skills in adaptive and responsive design are necessary for the ability to design consistently across different screen sizes, orientation and resolutions on mobile devices.
Experience in device testing will help ensure the app works across different devices and operating systems.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD, Balsamiq, UserTesting and Framer
12. Director of design
Directors of design usually work for a specific company or brand full-time. They’re responsible for managing a team of designers, setting up design standards, creating design systems and establishing effective processes and collaborative efforts. With each project, the director of design bridges the gap between creatives and other departments, such as marketing, to ensure design goals and business objectives are cohesive.
Skills you'll need:
Confident leadership skills, which often come with time and experience, go hand-in-hand with a design director role. You’ll need to guide your team of designers with confidence and clear communication, making sure they have distinct goals while fostering teamwork and collaboration.
Business management abilities will ensure you and your team have a strategic vision and meet business goals. Directors of design make sure projects are completed efficiently, on a timeline and within budget.
Good communication, so you can present ideas clearly to your team and collaborate with stakeholders and clients.
Tools commonly used: Figma, Adobe XD, Monday, Asana, Miro, Jira, Slack and Pitch
How to choose the best design career for you
The great thing about today’s versatile digital design world is that there are so many ways to evolve and get involved.
You may want to tap into more than one of the careers mentioned above, and that’s totally doable—even encouraged. These days, many companies want designers with multifaceted skills, and as an independent designer, it can benefit your practice to broaden your knowledge.
Practically speaking, you’ll want to have a look at the job market and consider what kind of career is worth investing in. It’s also important to think about what kind of environment you want to work in. As a designer, you can work as a freelancer, for a design agency, or on-staff at a company.
Last but not least, if you want to dip your toes in the water and start elevating your skills, check out resources like the Wix Studio Academy. Here, you can participate in workshops, watch tutorials and earn certifications to amplify your skill set.
Sign up for Wix Studio to design your next great site today.
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